MIT scientists pin down the origins of a fast radio burst
The fleeting cosmic firework likely emerged from the turbulent magnetosphere around a far-off neutron star.
MIT’s top research stories of 2024
Stories on tamper-proof ID tags, sound-suppressing silk, and generative AI’s understanding of the world were some of the most popular topics on MIT News.
Bacteria in the human gut rarely update their CRISPR defense systems
A new study of the microbiome finds intestinal bacterial interact much less often with viruses that trigger immunity updates than bacteria in the lab.
Why open secrets are a big problem
Philosopher Sam Berstler diagnoses the corrosive effects of not acknowledging troubling truths.
Ecologists find computer vision models’ blind spots in retrieving wildlife images
Biodiversity researchers tested vision systems on how well they could retrieve relevant nature images. More advanced models performed well on simple queries but struggled with more research-specific prompts.
Tiny, wireless antennas use light to monitor cellular communication
As part of a high-resolution biosensing device without wires, the antennas could help researchers decode intricate electrical signals sent by cells.
Need a research hypothesis? Ask AI.
MIT engineers developed AI frameworks to identify evidence-driven hypotheses that could advance biologically inspired materials.
Surface-based sonar system could rapidly map the ocean floor at high resolution
A small fleet of autonomous surface vessels forms a large sonar array for finding submerged objects.
New autism research projects represent a broad range of approaches to achieving a shared goal
At a symposium of the Simons Center for the Social Brain, six speakers described a diversity of recently launched studies aimed at improving understanding of the autistic brain.
MIT engineers grow “high-rise” 3D chips
An electronic stacking technique could exponentially increase the number of transistors on chips, enabling more efficient AI hardware.
Physicists magnetize a material with light
The technique provides researchers with a powerful tool for controlling magnetism, and could help in designing faster, smaller, more energy-efficient memory chips.
How humans continuously adapt while walking stably
Research could help improve motor rehabilitation programs and assistive robot control.
Miracle, or marginal gain?
Industrial policy is said to have sparked huge growth in East Asia. Two MIT economists say the numbers tell a more complex story.
MIT spinout Commonwealth Fusion Systems unveils plans for the world’s first fusion power plant
The company has announced that it will build the first grid-scale fusion power plant in Chesterfield County, Virginia.
MIT researchers introduce Boltz-1, a fully open-source model for predicting biomolecular structures
With models like AlphaFold3 limited to academic research, the team built an equivalent alternative, to encourage innovation more broadly.